[1st Peace of Paris.] more at heart than the perpetual duration of Peace between the two Crowns of England and of France, and wishing to do his utmost to avoid anything which might affect their mutual good understanding, engages not to erect any Fortifications in the establishments which are to be restored to him within the limits of the British Sovereignty upon the Continent of India, and only to place in those establishments the number of Troops necessary for the maintenance of the Police. French right of Fishery at Newfoundland and Gulf of St. Lawrence. ART. XIII. The French right of Fishery upon the Great Bank of Newfoundland, upon the Coasts of the Island of that name, and of the adjacent Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, shall be replaced upon the footing on which it stood in 1792. Periods of Restoration of French Colonies, &c. ART. XIV. Those Colonies, Factories, and Establishments, which are to be restored to His Most Christian Majesty by Ilis Britannic Majesty or his Allies in the Northern Seas, or in the Seas on the Continents of America and Africa, shall be given up within the three months, and those which are beyond the Cape of Good Hope within the six months which follow the Ratification of the present Treaty. Division of Ships of War, Arsenals, &c., between France and the Allies. ART. XV. The High Contracting Parties having, by the IVth Article of the Convention of the 23rd of April last,* reserved to themselves the right of disposing, in the present Definitive Treaty of Peace, of the Arsenals and Ships of War, armed and unarmed, which may be found in the Maritime Places restored by the IInd Article of the said Convention, it is agreed, that the said Vessels and Ships of War, armed and unarmed, together with the Naval Ordnance and Naval Stores, and all materials for building and equipment, shall be divided between France and the Countries where the said Places are situated, in the proportion of two-thirds for France, and one-third for the Power to whom the said Places shall belong. The Ships and Vessels on the stocks, which shall not be launched within six weeks after the signature of the pre * See Appendix. [1st Peace of Paris.] sent Treaty, shall be considered as materials, and after being broken up shall be, as such, divided in the same proportions. Return of Workmen, Seamen, &c., to France. Commissioners shall be named on both sides, to settle the division, and draw up a statement of the same, and Passports or Safe Conducts shall be granted by the Allied Powers for the purpose of securing the return into France of the Workmen, Seamen, and others in the employment of France. Dutch Fleet in the Texel excepted. The Vessels and Arsenals existing in the Maritime Places which were already in the power of the Allies before the 23rd April, and the Vessels and Arsenals which belonged to Holland, and especially the Fleet in the Texel, are not comprised in the above Stipulations. The French Government engages to withdraw, or to cause to be sold, everything which shall belong to it by the above Stipulations, within the space of three months after the division shall have been carried into effect. Port of Antwerp.* Antwerp shall for the future be solely a Commercial Port. Persons and Property in Countries restored, and Debts of ART. XVI. The High Contracting Parties, desirous to bury in entire oblivion the dissensions which have agitated Europe, declare and promise that no Individual, of whatever rank or condition he may be, in the Countries restored and ceded by the present Treaty, shall be prosecuted, disturbed, or molested, in his Person or Property, under any pretext whatsoever, either on account of his conduct or political opinions, his attachment either to any of the Contracting Parties, or to any Government which has ceased to exist, or for any other reason, except for Debts contracted towards individuals, or acts posterior to the date of the present Treaty.† Right of Emigration. ART. XVII. The native Inhabitants and Aliens of whatever * See also Treaty between the 5 Powers and Netherlands of 19th April, 1839, Art. XIV. + See Vienna Congress Treaty of 9th June, 1815, Art. CIII. [1st Peace of Paris.] Nation and condition they may be, in those Countries which are to change Sovereigns, as well in virtue of the present Treaty as of the subsequent arrangements to which it may give rise, shall be allowed a period of six years, reckoning from the exchange of the Ratifications, for the purpose of disposing of their property, if they think fit, whether it be acquired before or during the present War, and retiring to whatever Country they may choose. Renunciation of Government Claims for Contracts, &c.* ART. XVIII. The Allied Powers desiring to offer His Most Christian Majesty a new proof of their anxiety to arrest, as far as in them lies, the bad consequences of the disastrous epoch fortunately terminated by the present Peace, renounce all the sums which their Governments claim from France, whether on account of Contracts, Supplies, or any other advances whatsoever to the French Government, during the different Wars which have taken place since 1792. His Most Christian Majesty, on his part, renounces every claim which he might bring forward against the Allied Powers on the same grounds. In execution of this Article, the High Contracting Parties engage reciprocally to deliver up all titles, obligations, and documents, which relate to the Debts they may have mutually cancelled. Liquidation of Private Claims by France. ART. XIX. The French Government engages to liquidate and pay all Debts it may be found to owe in Countries beyond its own Territory, on account of Contracts, or other formal engagements between Individuals, or Private Establishments, and the French Authorities, as well for Supplies, as in satisfaction of legal engagements.† Commissioners of Claims. ART. XX. The IIigh Contracting Parties, immediately after the exchange of the Ratifications of the present Treaty, shall name Commissioners to direct and superintend the execution of the whole of the Stipulations contained in the XVIIIth and * See Separate and Secret Articles, p. 18. † See Definitive Treaty of 20th November, 1815; Conventions of 20th November, 1815; Convention of 25th April, 1818; and Additional Article of 4th July, 1818. [1st Peace of Paris.] XIXth Articles. These Commissioners shall undertake the examination of the Claims referred to in the preceding Article, the liquidation of the Sums claimed, and the consideration of the manner in which the French Government may propose to pay them. They shall also be charged with the delivery of the Titles, Bonds, and the Documents relating to the Debts which the High Contracting Parties mutually cancel, so that the approval of the result of their labours shall complete that reciprocal renunciation. Debts in Countries no longer belonging to France. ART. XXI. The Debts which in their origin were specially mortgaged upon the Countries no longer belonging to France, or were contracted for the support of their internal administration, shall remain at the charge of the said Countries. Such of those Debts as have been converted into Inscriptions in the Great Book of the Public Debt of France, shall accordingly be accounted for with the French Government after the 22nd of December, 1813. The Deeds of all those Debts which have been prepared for inscription, and have not yet been entered, shall be delivered to the Governments of the respective Countries. The statement of all these Debts shall be drawn up and settled by a Joint Commission. Pensions, &c., of Persons no longer French Subjects. ART. XXII. The French Government shall remain charged with the reimbursement of all sums paid by the subjects of the said Countries into the French Coffers, whether under the denomination of Surety, Deposit, or Consignment.† In like manner all French Subjects, employed in the service of the said Countries, who have paid sums under the denomination of Surety, Deposit, or Consignment, into their respective Territories, shall be faithfully reimbursed. Securities. ART. XXIII. The Functionaries holding situations requiring Securities, who are not charged with the expenditure of public money, shall be reimbursed at Paris, with the interest by fifths and by the year, dating from the signature of the present Treaty. *The British Commissioners were: The Hon. Charles Bagot, Mr. Colin A. Mackenzie, and Mr. A. E. Impey. + See Convention between the 5 Powers of 25th April, 1818, Art. IV. [1st Peace of Paris.] With respect to those who are accountable, this reimbursement shall commence, at the latest, six mouths after the presentation of their Accounts, except only in cases of malversation. A Copy of the last Account shall be transmitted to the Government of their Countries, to serve for their information and guidance, Caisse d'Amortissement. ART. XXIV. The Judicial Deposits and Consignments upon the "Caisse d'Amortissement," in the execution of the Law of 28 Nivose, year 13 (18th January, 1805), and which belong to the Inhabitants of the Countries France ceases to possess, shall, within the space of one year from the exchange of the Ratifications of the present Treaty, be placed in the hands of the Authorities of the said Countries, with the exception of those Deposits and Consignments interesting French subjects, which last will remain in the "Caisse d'Amortissement," and will only be given up on the production of the vouchers resulting from the decisions of competent Authorities. Caisse de Service, Caisse d'Amortissement, &c. ART. XXV. The Funds deposited by the Corporations and Public Establishments in the "Caisse de Service and in the "Caisse d'Amortissement," or other "Caisses," of the French Government, shall be reimbursed by fifths, payable from year to year, to commence from the date of the present Treaty; deducting the advances which have taken place, and subject to such regular charges as may have been brought forward against these Funds by the Creditors of the said Corporations and the said Public Establishments. Termination of Pensions. ART. XXVI. From the first day of January, 1814, the French Government shall cease to be charged with the payment of Pensions, Civil, Military, and Ecclesiastical, pensions for retirement, and allowances for reduction, to any Individual who shall cease to be a French Subject. Gudrantee of Purchasers of National Domains. ART. XXVII. National Domains acquired for valuable considerations by French Subjects in the late Departments of Belgium, and of the left bank of the Rhine and the Alps, beyond the |